Manufacture of a coal substitute



Patented :A pr. 18

UNITED A [STATES "PATENT JOHN Ivo MAREK, or rams, FRANCE, ssienonro rim rmm: GARIBONFiX, socmrE,

A nEsroNsABILI'rr': rmrrnn; or PARIS, FRANCE 7 Anurnocbumr or ;A coAr. sunsrrru'rn V r No Drawing. Application. filed October 27, Bee, Serial Ito 491,636, eaam iseigmm November's, 192 9.

This invention relatesto a process for the manufacture of an improved coal substitute practically free from ashes and consists in lignin. being submitted, before or after carbonization by a dry or wet process,

to a treatment with-acids and thereupon to a treatment with alkalis, followed if desired by a further acid treatment. a V

As is well known lignin is found in large 10 quantities in the waste lye of cellulose factories which employ the soda or the'sul phate process. When this lye (the so-called black lye) orthe washing liquor is treated with an acid,"the1 lignin is precipitated and can be recovered for instance by decanting.

well known processes from wood, reeds and other cellulose-containing materials.

Crude lignin usually contains resin -(colo-' phony) as an impurity. This can be removed by extraction with oil ofturpentine,

which is well known as a solvent for C010- phony. p 1

The turpentine solution may be distilled V for the purpose of recovering theoil of turpentine, thecolophony being left behind.

The {lignin extracted is washed with wari'n water and represents purified lignin.

Emamp les i 1. Purified lignin is carbonized by dry distillation in retorts or chemically, for instance by an acid. After the carbonization,

the mass is treated with sulphuric acid at 40 B. for about twelve hours at a tempera- 'ture of 165 to200 C. The excess sulphuric acid is removed, andthe mass is then treated.

with a solution containing four parts of sodium carbonate and one partof potassium resulting coal substitute can be less than 0.05%. m A I 1 f2; Purified'lignin is treated in a hermetically closed'lead apparatus with hydrofluoric acid. The excess hydrofluorieacid .isre- 55 moved, theproduct is washed with water and treated with acaustic. alkali, for examplecaustic soda. After a secondwashing. with warm water, the lignin is dried prior x to carbonization with hydrochloric acidyaoo'ji H hermetically closed lead apparatus ubeing' used'as before. The treatment with'hydroj chloric acid is normally continued for twelve v hours. IITOIdGI to. obtain however a particularly black coal,thetreatment canbe a5 [extended by. several hoursn After careful washing with warm water, the coal is allowed to dry.

In order to convert the productintoafine impalpable powdera it must be ground. It

is also ossible, an preferable to treat the coal or one to twohourswith sulphuric ac d afterywhichit is washed with warm water and dried.

ascertained the nature ofmy said invention-v and in what manner the same is to be per:

formed, Ideclare that what I claim is 1. A process for themanufacture of a coal substitute practically free of ash,'character-18o ized in that the lignin is first carbonized and then treated first with sulphuric acid l of 65 B. at 165 to 200 C. and second with asolutionof sodium and potassium carbonates, and finally with concentratedhydrochloric acid.

2. process asclaimedinclaim char- 'acter1zed.inthat lignin is treated with .hy-

drofluoric acid and then with a lye containing caustic soda, before carbonizationr As a newjproduct a coal substitute prac-- t cally free of ash consisting of carbonized llgIllIl substantially free of acid and alkali .rlbl"".' 5 carbonate, whereupon it s. washed Wltll u e mammals warm water. The I washed mass is then treated with concentrated hydrochloric acid I In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

1 l J OHNIVOMAREK. I

for eight to twelve hours. The product thus obtained is washed with warm water and '50 then dried. The percentage of ashes in the V Having now particularlydescribed and 75 I 

